Pilgrims' Homecoming!

Vive la Compagnie!

We bring news of the imminent arrival of the pilgrims from Bohol.  Their bus is approaching hundred kilometers to Gensan. Welcome back, guys!  Thank you for bringing our prayers to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Carmen, Bohol! 

Many, many thanks to all good people who helped us pay the fares, food and registration of the pilgrims.  We spent around sixty thousand pesos for the pilgrimage.

After the pilgrimage, they were privileged to attend the youth camp without paying the registration fees!  Thanks to Fr. Timothy Pfeiffer and to Fr. Stehlin and to all the generous benefactors. 

Surprise:  our representatives won the 2nd place for the Marian Joust and the Sacred Heart Speech! Bravo, Johanna!  Bravo, Paul!  There will be a barbecue after Holy Mass to celebrate your homecoming.  

It's a happy day.  Happy feast of St. Mark to everyone!!!

Thanks to all who donated for our fares, food and registration!

Apostles of Mary and Eucharistic Crusaders at one of the pilgrimage stops.

Walk to Carmen... don't mind the worn out shoes....  barefoot can still make it...

We got the Most Lively group award.  Haha.  Not so bad.
Considering that we did not win in the quiz bowl.  Better to be happy losers than sad losers.

Pirates or bandits?  Nah, just stylish pilgrims.

red jerseys for our volleyball team... thanks to the anonymous donor of the jerseys.  

We made it!  Thanks to all who supported us!

First Wedding in the New Chapel

A former captain of the Apostles of Mary got married today in a simple ceremony.

Congratulations Mark and Ann!  

Deo gratias!  Ave Maria!

Hola marchons le gueux!

Ours prayers go with the pilgrims who left at 2:00AM today bound for Bohol.  

Fourteen young people representing Gensan boarded the bus with only a one-way ticket to the pilgrimage, trusting in God's Providence for their return fare.  They bring with them the prayer intentions of all the benefactors of the chapel and the Apostles of Mary.  All the rest of us who are not participants in the quiz bowl, Marian and Sacred Heart joust and other competitions are staying behind to continue the fundraising for their return ticket by applying for laundry, janitorial and messengerial works.  We will have our own pilgrimage to unite ourselves with their prayers and sacrifices.  Our itinerary will be General Santos City to Sarangani Province in Kawas.  We will have our own contests together with the catechism pupils from the nearby mission villages.  

We will add a prayer for the end of the drought 

that rain may make the earth green again and end the hunger of the poor farmers.  

Mother of the Poor, we turn to thee.  Pray for us o holy Mother of God!

Low Sunday

Dominica in Albis   

a statue of Our Lady of Fatima was added to the retablo.  It was donated for use during processions.  Fr. Salvador blessed it and instructed us to put it up on the empty niche in the retablo.

We made the simple flower arrangement.  Already, we are saving up to buy new linen cloths that will fit the new Altar. 

And we will be improving the niche for Our Lady.

And the boys are saving up to buy new cassocks and surplices for the Altar servers.

a project for the former Apostles of Mary:  a new carpet for the King of kings

We are praying for the success of our pew project.  We will be constructing the pews pretty soon with the help of God.  

And humbly we pray for the grace of final perseverance that all the faithful may keep the faith always.  And may we all become true Christians, faithful to God's commandments.  Until we die.

Rosary Crusade... Fr. Salvador receives the pilgrim statue and gives it to another family.  Each week, after the Mass, four statues are being transferred from one family to another to continue the rosary crusade.

April 2015: Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

... orto jam sole, Alleluia!

Angelicos testes... sudarium et vestes. 
Surrexit Christus spes mea: praecedet suos in Galilaeam..

...may the power of the Holy Ghost come down...
______________________________________

Mini camp to prepare for the catechism quiz at the pilgrimage.
With permission from Fr. Tim, we pitched tents inside the unfinished chapel to guard the Altar, chairs and kneelers.  A million thanks to Christina Meinholz for the tents!!!

Easter celebration:  watching the film:  "For Greater Glory"
after a sumptuous barbecue and exchange of Easter gifts.

Meditating on martyrdom 

Conference to evaluate the Holy Week work.  Eucharistic Crusaders and Apostles of Mary discuss how they can improve the Altar, and how they can avoid wastage of resources.  

Forensic study:  analyzing the remains of Judas Iscariot
after the traditional burning of Judas' effigy

Alleluia!!!
Angels await to greet Our Lady:  Regina Coeli laetare!
During the traditional procession recalling the meeting of the Sorrowful Mother and her Glorious Risen Son.

One of the three children who were baptized during the Easter vigil

Adult Baptism
The mother of a Eucharistic Crusader receives the grace of Baptism.  Blessed be the good God!

Easter Vigil:  Blessing of the Fire
A drizzle comes down and clears the air of dust and gives the earth a light relief from the drought... Deo gratias!

Gensan faithful during the translation of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose

 In supremae nocte coenae recumbens cum fratribus...

Pange lingua gloriosi Corporis mysterium..

Eucharistic Crusader preparing for Holy Communion

Fr. Tim washes the feet of the construction workers

fiery sermon

all in the native language:  Bisaya

Holy Thursday.

Before the Mass:
Our dear Chaplain in contemplation: levitating..
(soon perhaps)

Tenebrae

The next Michaelangelo:  Johnny Sanchez.  

Apostles of Mary and Eucharistic Crusaders at work

The rush before the Holy Week ceremonies.... painting project

Introibo ad altare Dei..
Everlasting thanks to Dr. Dickes!!!